Association Football, commonly referred to as football or soccer depending on the region, is undoubtedly the most popular sport worldwide, with Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) estimating there to be approximately 5 billion fans of the game. To put that number into perspective, the United Nations approximates the global population to be around 8.2 billion, meaning that over 60% of the world’s population admires or follows the sport.[1] The sport’s influence is so extensive that it’s estimated that over 265 million people worldwide are not only watching soccer, but also actively playing it.[2] This figure is so vast that it numerically outnumbers the populations of Brazil, Canada, and Switzerland combined.[3] While soccer may not always be seen as the most popular sport in the United States, it has made considerable progress, with estimates suggesting that over 14 million people played the sport outdoors in the country in 2023.[4] Moreover, Major League Soccer (MLS), the premier soccer league in the United States, has gained immense popularity, attracting over 10 million fans to its games for the third consecutive year, while featuring numerous international stars throughout its history, including Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Thierry Henry, and many others.[5]
FIFA, the global governing body for the sport, is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It includes 211 national football associations as members, making it a larger organization than the United Nations, which has 193 member states.[6] These national associations organize competitions among their clubs and are also part of one of FIFA’s six regional confederations: the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). These confederations oversee competitions for both clubs and national teams within their regions. With a diverse array of nations and organizations within FIFA, along with a vast fanbase, it’s clear why FIFA continues to be one of the most influential and profitable organizations, generating $1.17 billion in annual revenue in 2023 alone.[7]
The most prestigious tournament organized by FIFA is the quadrennial Men’s World Cup. It is estimated that around 5 billion people engaged with the 2022 FIFA World Cup in some capacity, representing over 60% of the world’s population, while the final match between France and Argentina reached over 1.5 billion viewers.[8] The 2026 edition of the tournament will take place in North America, with 78 of the planned 104 matches scheduled to be held in the United States. Out of the 16 venues, 11 will be located in various U.S. cities, and the final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.[9] The tournament’s format will also expand from 32 to 48 teams, allowing 16 additional countries to participate in the 2026 World Cup. This change is expected to result in increased viewership, greater popularity, and higher attendance compared to previous events.[10] With 48 international teams, each consisting of 26 players, a total of 1,248 athletes are expected to compete on U.S. soil in the tournament.[11] This figure does not include team personnel, such as coaches and trainers, which would significantly increase the overall number of staff coming for the event. On top of that, there will be thousands of fans flocking to the United States to watch the games. Considering the expected influx of international athletes, team staff, and fans—many of whom will need visas—it is evident that immigration will be a key factor in the preparations for the World Cup.
Focusing primarily on the athletes, while there are several pathways for professional soccer players to obtain a U.S. visa ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the O-1 visa is an excellent option. Although the standard of eligibility is relatively high, applicants can apply for an O-1 visa at any time throughout the year and there are no visa quotas. In its most general terms, the athlete must be able to demonstrate that they have a reputation of “distinction” by submitting evidence such as press articles, previous team roles and wins, ad campaign work, large followings, magazine tear sheets, other awards, and high rates of compensation. It is also helpful to demonstrate that the individual has worked with distinguished companies and organizations, as well as providing testimonial letters from prominent individuals who can confirm the athlete’s extraordinary reputation and work history. Even coaches and trainers, if they are truly extraordinary, can get an O-1 visa themselves. If not, however, they can apply for the O-2 visa to accompany and assist the O-1 soccer athlete, if they can establish that they are an integral part of the performance because of their skills or long relationship with the athlete.[12]
Another excellent option for soccer athletes coming to the United States to compete in the World Cup is the P-1A visa. Athletes can apply for a P-1A visa at any time during the year, there are no visa quotas, and the World Cup meets the P-1A visa requirement that athletes participate in distinguished athletic events. The soccer player must be able to demonstrate that they are “internationally recognized” as having a high level of achievement in their sport by submitting evidence such as records of achievements, international rankings, awards, press articles, letters from experts, and previous participation on national, U.S. collegiate, or major league teams. Similar to the O-2, essential support staff, such as coaches and trainers, can apply for a P-1S visa to join the athlete in the United States if they can prove their essentiality.[13]
Other visa considerations are crucial as well. For example, fans may be eligible to apply for Visitor Visas (either through a B-2 visa application or, if eligible, via ESTA). Even the athletes themselves, under certain circumstances, might be okay with just a B-2/ESTA visa. However, what is more significant to consider is any athletes or support staff that may have previous adverse criminal or immigration history. In such a case, they may need to apply for a waiver of inadmissibility, which can complicate the application process all together. Regardless of whether you are one of the 1,248 athletes, support staff, or just a fan, it is crucial that you plan ahead, so you don’t run into any issues when it might be too late. Often times, this means consulting an immigration lawyer to go over what options may be available to you.
Wildes & Weinberg, P.C. is no stranger to representing star professional soccer athletes, as our firm represented the legendary Pele.[14] Representing individuals worldwide, Wildes & Weinberg, P.C., one of the United States’ premier law firms concentrating in the immigration and nationality field, grew out of the practice of Leon Wildes, Esq., a distinguished immigration practitioner in New York City. Founded in 1960, the practice expanded steadily as word of its outstanding achievements in individual cases spread in the international community, attracting clients from a broad range of nations.
Wildes & Weinberg prides itself on the many international athletic clients we have helped, including Pelé, Greg Norman, Eric Cantona, Virginia Wade, and more. We are always excited and happy to assist any international stars coming to the United States to play sports, or those simply wanting to observe.
While the process for preparing either an O visa or P visa petition can seem intimidating, our team of experienced soccer immigration lawyers (or football immigration lawyers or even futbol immigration lawyers) are well qualified to guide you. We will assist with each step in the process, from document collection to scheduling a visa appointment. Our team of legal experts will help you to maximize the chances of approval, address your concerns, and move the process along as swiftly as possible. It is important to have a law firm on your side that is experienced and capable of devising solutions that meet your needs. At Wildes & Weinberg, we have an outstanding track record of success in handling petitions for athletes and their support staff, and we take pride in ensuring the integrity of the visa process.
For more information on this or any other type of visa or immigration inquiry, please visit www.wildeslaw.com or contact josh@wildeslaw.com. Disclaimer: This blog is not legal advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact an attorney.
By Aden Lyons & Josh Wildes
[1] https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/undesa_pd_2024_wpp_2024_advance_unedited_0.pdf
[2] https://sportsepreneur.com/worlds-most-popular-sport/
[3] https://www.gov.br/secom/en/latest-news/2024/08/ibge-brazils-population-reaches-212-6-million#:~:text=The%20Brazilian%20population%20reached%20an,Geografia%20e%20Estat%C3%ADstica%2FIBGE%5D.
https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/canada/#people-and-society; https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/gesellschaft/bevoelkerung/die-bevoelkerung—fakten-und-zahlen.html
[4] https://www.statista.com/statistics/191697/participants-in-outdoor-soccer-in-the-us-since-2006/
[5] https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/mls-2024-regular-season-attendance-record-inter-miami-messi/#:~:text=The%202024%20campaign%20is%20the,attended%20in%20a%20single%20season; https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/robbie-keane/; https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/lionel-messi/; https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/david-beckham/stats/
[6] https://inside.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations;
https://www.un.org/en/about-us#:~:text=Member-,States,the%20current%20193%20Member%20States.
[7] https://www.statista.com/statistics/268873/revenue-of-the-football-association-fifa/
[8] https://inside.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/news/one-month-on-5-billion-engaged-with-the-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-tm; https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/population#:~:text=The%20global%20human%20population%20reached,and%202%20billion%20since%201998
[9] https://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/news/when-and-where-is-the-2026-world-cup
[10] Id.
[11] https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/how-many-players-world-cup-squads-rosters-fifa-qatar-2022/ic04lajzekgfsivpnoiv5hc0
[12] https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/o-1-visa-individuals-with-extraordinary-ability-or-achievement
[13] https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/p-1a-athlete
[14] https://www.wildeslaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/pelearticle.pdf ; https://www.wildeslaw.com/news-events/in-the-news/michael-wildes-secures-visa-for-soccer-icon-pele/